This study examines how varying the saliency and stability of environmental cues affect place learning in older women. Place learning, a function of the hippocampus (HPC) in the brain, is the ability to make mental maps of environments. Place learning is a critical cognitive function important for learning new or changed environments that becomes impaired in many people with age, possibly due to changes in HPC function. Environmental modifications that influence how elders learn new or changed environments are not known. We hypothesize that salient cues (prominent, and meaningful) and stable cues (those that do not change or move) are particularly important to place learning, especially with age. To test this hypothesis, healthy older (over 65) women were recruited from senior centers, churches, and independent senior living centers. Pre-tests for visual acuity, cognition (MMSE) and verbal and spatial working memory were conducted. Place learning was measured using a virtual reality task called the Computer Generated (CG) Arena. This task required subjects to use constellations of environmental cues (cognitive mapping) to find a hidden platform in three computerized environments, which varied with respect to stability and salience of cues. Subjects were given 6 learning trials for each environment. Data analysis shows differences in place learning with respect to cue properties. Older subjects found the hidden target twice as often in the salient than non-salient environment. The salient cue environment was also learned most successfully, with a mean time to find the hidden target of 122.4 seconds (s.d. 65.2) by the last trial, compared to 154.8 seconds (s.d. 34.7) for the non-stable cue environment, and 164.7 seconds (s.d. 34.3) for the non-salient cue environment. Results indicate that older women do map new places, although slowly, and environmental salience is critical to learning.

Full metadata record

DC Field

Value

Language

dc.type

Presentation

en_GB

dc.title

Cue Properties and Place Learning in Aging Women

en_GB

dc.identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10755/159288

-

dc.description.abstract

<table><tr><td colspan="2" class="item-title">Cue Properties and Place Learning in Aging Women </td></tr><tr class="item-sponsor"><td class="label">Conference Sponsor:</td><td class="value">Midwest Nursing Research Society</td></tr><tr class="item-year"><td class="label">Conference Year:</td><td class="value">2004</td></tr><tr class="item-author"><td class="label">Author:</td><td class="value">Veltman, Rebecca, MSN, RN</td></tr><tr class="item-address"><td class="label">Contact Address:</td><td class="value">SON, 6151 Rothbury, Portage, MI, 49024, USA</td></tr><tr class="item-co-authors"><td class="label">Co-Authors:</td><td class="value">Barbara Therrien, PhD, RN, FAAN, Associate Professor</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="item-abstract">This study examines how varying the saliency and stability of environmental cues affect place learning in older women. Place learning, a function of the hippocampus (HPC) in the brain, is the ability to make mental maps of environments. Place learning is a critical cognitive function important for learning new or changed environments that becomes impaired in many people with age, possibly due to changes in HPC function. Environmental modifications that influence how elders learn new or changed environments are not known. We hypothesize that salient cues (prominent, and meaningful) and stable cues (those that do not change or move) are particularly important to place learning, especially with age. To test this hypothesis, healthy older (over 65) women were recruited from senior centers, churches, and independent senior living centers. Pre-tests for visual acuity, cognition (MMSE) and verbal and spatial working memory were conducted. Place learning was measured using a virtual reality task called the Computer Generated (CG) Arena. This task required subjects to use constellations of environmental cues (cognitive mapping) to find a hidden platform in three computerized environments, which varied with respect to stability and salience of cues. Subjects were given 6 learning trials for each environment. Data analysis shows differences in place learning with respect to cue properties. Older subjects found the hidden target twice as often in the salient than non-salient environment. The salient cue environment was also learned most successfully, with a mean time to find the hidden target of 122.4 seconds (s.d. 65.2) by the last trial, compared to 154.8 seconds (s.d. 34.7) for the non-stable cue environment, and 164.7 seconds (s.d. 34.3) for the non-salient cue environment. Results indicate that older women do map new places, although slowly, and environmental salience is critical to learning. </td></tr></table>

en_GB

dc.date.available

2011-10-26T21:52:40Z

-

dc.date.issued

2011-10-17

en_GB

dc.date.accessioned

2011-10-26T21:52:40Z

-

dc.description.sponsorship

Midwest Nursing Research Society

en_GB

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